The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians by Oliver B. Greene Copyright 1962 The Gospel Hour, Inc.

Greenville, South Carolina

Chapter Two The occasion and the theme of Galatians

Verse 6: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel." Paul was amazed, he was astonished, he marveled that anyone who had received the grace of GOD could ever entertain the idea of departing from the marvelous grace of GOD, with the liberty of soul and spirit that grace brings. Paul marveled that anyone who had really known the Gospel of the grace of GOD should turn from it. Paul had been a religionist - a devout Judaist. He was a fanatic in the religion of the Jews. Paul was an educated man; he had studied the Law of Moses from A to Z, and from Z back to A. He was not a religious dumb-cluck nor an ignoramus. To Paul, the discovery of the grace of GOD was so wonderful and so marvelous, that he was astonished beyond measure that anyone could come into the possession of the peace and joy that grace brings, and then turn again to the rituals of the Law! And yet - it seemed that the believers at Galatia were removing from the grace that he had preached unto them, through which they had been so gloriously saved. Paul mentions "unto another gospel: which is not another." That is, they were removing from the pure Gospel of the grace of GOD, to another message (another gospel) that was not really Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News, and any other message than the true one could not be a gospel at all. In one of the outstanding commentaries, we read that at the time of Paul, the Galatians had written more than seventy gospels! Of course they were not genuine - they were not true Gospels. They had either added to or subtracted from the message of Paul, and it was to these gospels (which were really not Good News) that the Galatians were turning. Verse 7: "... Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ." We know Satan is on the job. JESUS said where the tares were sown among the wheat, "An enemy hath done this." That same enemy is still in the business of sowing tares. Satan has many evil spirits and emissaries in the world today. The very air we breathe is filled with demons. The kingdom of Satan is just above us - and he hates the Gospel of

the grace of GOD. In writing to the church at Corinth Paul said, " . . . Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Never forget that just as surely as GOD has churches and ministers, the devil also has churches and ministers. - GOD calls evangelists - and the devil calls evangelists; - GOD calls Sunday school teachers - and the devil calls Sunday school teachers. The devil has a cheap counterfeit for every genuine product of spirituality and the true church. In Galatia, the emissaries of the devil were preaching another gospel - which was not a gospel at all. Verse 8: "But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." That does not sound like some of the lovely preaching we hear today, does it, beloved? That is . . . that "we are all brothers," the "fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man" . . . we are supposed to love and fellowship with the liberals, the modernists and the haters of God . . . those who deny the virgin birth and those who would destroy our Bible by leaving out words like "JEHOVAH," "Blood," "virgin," "new birth," etc. Certainly the words of Paul do not sound like the words of some of the seminary-trained denominational preachers of our day. So Paul thunders out, "Even though it be we (Paul and Barnabas) or an angel from Heaven . . . if we or an angel or anyone else preach any gospel except the Gospel we have already preached unto you, let him be accursed." That means, "Let that person (or that angel) drop into hellfire!" It would be difficult to find anything from Genesis to Revelation more dreadful than that statement. The devil may transform himself into an angel of light, and his ministers may transform themselves as the ministers of righteousness; but whether it BE an angel from Heaven, or one of the devil's emissaries transformed as an angel . . . or even if it be Paul himself . . . if that person preaches any other gospel than the Gospel of the grace of GOD which Paul had already preached to the Galatian Christians, Paul said, "Let that preacher drop into hell . . . let that preacher be accursed! Do not let him deliver any message except the message of the grace of GOD!" In Galatians 5:12, Paul thunders out, "I would they were even cut off which trouble you!" That statement would not go over so well, either, in one of the meetings of the National Council of Churches of Christ in America - or The World Council of Churches, where birds of a feather flock together and demand that all ministers come under their wings. GOD have mercy on any two-legged human being who claims to be called of GOD, who claims

to be a minister of GOD . . . and yet will support atheism and liberalism such as is in these councils of churches around the world! No, I do not believe the Apostle Paul would be invited to join the average ministerial association . . . and frankly, I do not think he would be invited to join some of the "fellowships" across the country. This man preached because preach he MUST. He was called of GOD, ordained of GOD, sent by GOD - and he must give an account to GOD; therefore, he preached pure Gospel. Verse 9: "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Paul wanted the Galatians to fully understand what he was saying. He laid double emphasis upon the apostolic anathema which he pronounced upon all preachers of a gospel that is not the Gospel of the grace of GOD. GOD help you and me to remind ourselves that the message has not changed - neither has the curse been withdrawn. Even today, according to the Bible, any person is accursed who preaches any gospel except the pure Gospel of the marvelous grace of GOD. In Galatia the false teachers were teaching that believers could not be saved by faith alone - but must add their own good works in obedience to the Law of Moses. Furthermore, they were teaching that a believer could not be kept saved except by works and obedience to the same Law of Moses. We should look around us and listen to some of the preaching today. If we will stop, look, and listen, we will recognize the Galatian heresy in this day. Many preachers preach salvation by grace, through faith, plus works. Oh, they scream out, "Grace, grace . . . GOD's grace . . . grace that is greater than all our sin. . ." but then in the next breath they command their parishioners to practice certain "do's" and "dont's," and if they do not practice these religious and denominational do's and don'ts they will surely be damned! But according to the Apostle Paul, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." GOD help us to see the difference between redemption and reward . . . salvation and stewardship. Salvation is GOD's gift to a hell-deserving sinner. Believers are rewarded for their faithful stewardship. Read I Corinthians 3:11-15. In these verses, Paul clearly points out that some believers will lose their reward. Salvation is a gift totally and entirely of GOD . . . totally and entirely apart from works. The sinner cannot do anything to save himself or to help GOD save him. The sinner receives JESUS by faith, and the grace of GOD saves his soul. When the sinner believes and becomes a Christian - then the reward at the end of the Christian life will be determined by faithful works. Salvation is not of works - but salvation works. Salvation makes us want to work. We ARE "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" - "and faith without works is dead." Works testify that we have exercised saving faith in the grace of GOD - and the person who

refuses to bring forth fruit certainly testifies that his faith is dead faith . . . and dead faith cannot save the sinner. GOD pity some of the preachers of our day, when they stand before GOD Almighty to receive their reward. GOD pity the preacher who supplements the Gospel of Grace with the gospel of works! GOD pity the preacher who puts the denomination ahead of the grace of GOD . . . the program of the local church ahead of the grace of GOD. As ministers of the Gospel, we are commanded to lift up the Lord JESUS CHRIST, to preach the grace of GOD, to declare the whole counsel of GOD, and to study, rightly dividing the word of truth. GOD pity the minister who wrongly handles GOD's truth! ~ end of chapter 2 ~ http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/ ***